05 February 2026

Talking About Money Online

A guide for influencers, bloggers, content creators and anyone else discussing money matters online.

Sharing money tips online is a great way to help others learn, grow and reach their financial goals. But if you recommend specific financial products or tell people what to do with their money, you may be providing regulated financial advice, which is subject to strict regulations in New Zealand.

Whether your recommendation is explicit or implicit, it can still be considered regulated financial advice.These regulations apply to everyone, including influencers, bloggers and content creators.They are designed to protect people from misleading or unsuitable advice and ensure that anyone giving regulated financial advice is qualified, licensed, and accountable.

Before you hit “post” take a moment to read this guide and see whether your content crosses the line into regulated financial advice or could be misleading or deceptive.

Stay within the law: some examples of what you can and can’t say

✅OK to share

General information and educational content about kinds of financial products and how they work.
Factual information, for example about the terms and conditions of a financial product or product features e.g. “ABC Balanced KiwiSaver Fund had an average annual return of 5.5% over 5 years.”

❌ Likely regulated financial advice

If someone regularly uses their platform for the purpose of:

Recommending or giving an opinion on specific financial products e.g. “I would recommend you invest in ABC Ltd.”
Recommending that someone switch KiwiSaver provider or switch to a different fund offered by their KiwiSaver provider.
Providing price targets and suggesting when to buy, sell or hold an investment.
Providing trade recommendations of financial products for clients based off the trading activity of another person(s).

Consequences of non-compliance

The FMA can take enforcement action against anyone who breaches the New Zealand financial markets legislation. This includes providing regulated financial advice to a retail client without being licensed (unless exempt), or making misleading, false or unsubstantiated representations.

Providing regulated financial advice to retail clients without a licence can result in penalties of up to $200,000 for an individual.

Best practice for discussing money online

Keep it general: Avoid recommending or giving opinions on specific financial products. Stick to general tips and information that help people learn, without pushing them to take a particular action.
Stick to the facts: Don’t make claims that are misleading, false or can’t be backed up.
Be transparent: Use clear disclaimers so viewers know you are not providing financial advice.
But a disclaimer is not enough: A disclaimer does not prevent a statement from being financial advice. Be careful with your wording.
Be honest about the risks: When discussing types of financial products you should explain the risks involved with investing, especially with high-risk investments like crypto, forex and derivatives.
Don’t promote it if you don’t understand it: Never promote an investment you don’t fully understand. Misinformation can cause real harm.
Know your audience: Some followers may be more vulnerable to financial harm, avoid sharing content that could mislead or pressure them.
Don’t call yourself a financial adviser: unless you’re licensed and registered.
Disclose paid/gifted content: Be clear when you are being paid or gifted to promote a product. Follow New Zealand’s Advertising Standards.
Moderate comments: Remove any scam links, false claims or anything that could mislead your followers. Your comment section is part of your content, keep it safe.